Water recovery apparatus



Jan. 15,1935. Q CQRBE'YI'T 1,987,604

WATER RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l wmo Duaecnohl 9 f7; z. 1 3 .2. I

MATT Q. COR-SE77 E a INVENTOR MAM J4- ATTORNEY 1935. M. Q. CORBETT WATER RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed Ma y 2. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 W cm H Qw M w Mn T A A. M

Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES:

' w en FEE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

.amended April 80,1928; 370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to a heat exchanger device particularly adapted to recover water vapor from the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned that will be cooled by the flow of air caused by the movement of the craft upon which it is mounted.-

Another object is to provide a device of the kind mentioned having means to control the flow of the air therethrough.

A still further object is to provide a water recovery device that is streamlined to prevent the development of unnecessary parasitic drag.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure lis a side elevation view of my invention with one side portion thereof removed;

Figure 2 is a front edge elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a detail of the cooling tubes in the tube plate;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4, Figure 1; I t

Figure 5 is a view substantially on the line 5-5, showing thedetails of the baffles;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the mechanism for operating the air flow control means;

Figure 7 is a section on line"77 of Fig. 6 shovsging the operating-means disclosed in Fig- While the present invention is particularly adapted for use on aircraft, it is not limited thereto. As the fuel of an aircraft is burned the load continually decreases if the exhaust gases are allowed to pass directly into the atmosphere which changing ofload often has a detrimental efiect upon the trim of the craft.

Since a considerable portion of the fuel thus burned is converted into water which is carried in the exhaust gases, the loading of the craft may be kept much more nearly uniform by condensing that water and retaining it insuitable tanks on the craft.

The several parts of my invention are preferably made of aluminum because of the low weight of that material and in view of the fact that no great structural strength is necessary. Upper header 8 and lower header 9 are connected to tube plates 10 and 11 between which extend the tubes 12 through which the air passes. As shown in Fig. 3 the tubes 12 are preferably retained in place in the tube plates by crimping.

The side members 13 and 14 form, with the tube plates 10 and 11, an enclosure around the tubes 12 and are outwardly curved to give the device a transverse streamline contour. Secured to each of the side members 13 and 1 are a plurality of baflie plate sections 15 so disposed that the sections from the two sides match up to form a substantially continuous transverse baflie across the space between the side members. The fastenings 40 by which the bailies 15 are secured to side members 13 and 14 may be rivets, spot welding or any other means suitable for the purpose. The side plates with their attached baffle sections may be removed to give access to the tubes 12 to clean off carbon that may accumulate thereon. The opposite ends of alternate baiile plates are cut away asindicated at 16 to form a tortuous passage longitudinally through the apparatus whereby the gases that pass into the apparatus are compelled to move back' and forth along the tubes and hence are brought into intimate-contact with the tubes, that the water vapor carried bythe gases may be entirely condensed. The gases pass from exhaust pipe 17 'into upper header 8 down through the apparatus to outlet pipe 18, the condensate passing into pipe 19 and being carried thereby to suitable storage tanks. The-pipes 12 in adjacent banks are staggered, thereby causing greater turbulence in the flow of the gases through the apparatus and insuring thorough cooling thereof. Members 32 are short sections fixed to the sides 18 and 14 to prevent lay-passing of the gases along the sides without contacting the tubes 12. Eyes 20 and 21 are provided for securing the device to structural members of the craft.

' Pivotally mounted on the rear edges of side members 13 and 14: are two vanes 22 and 23. Members 24 are pivotally secured to the vanes 22 and 23 and to these members are pivoted links 25 having an end of each connected to a cable 26 in 'a manner toform a toggle joint. Connected to the lower toggle is a cable 27 that has one end secured to a shaft 28 which will cause the cable 2'7 to be wound on the shaft 28 when that shaft is rotated It is apparent that when the cable 26 is pulled down the free edges of vanes 22- and 23 will be made to approach each other and obstruct the how of air through tubes 12. A spring 29 secured at an end to upper header 8 and at the other end to the upper toggle tends to move the links 25 upwardly and so separate the rear edges of the vanes 22 and 23 when the pull on cable 26 is released. Any means of rotating axle 2.8 may be used; as shown this means comprises a grooved pulley 30 fixed upon shaft 28 and having one end of a cable 31 secured to it and partially wound on it. It is obvious that by applying force to the cable 31 it will be unwound from the pulley 30 and cause shaft 28 to rotate, winding cable 27 upon the shaft and so drawing the edges of the vanes 22 and 23 together. Upon release of the cable 31 the spring 21 will again separate the vanes. If desired, the spring 29 may be connected to an externally threaded bolt 32 engaged to an internally threaded sleeve 33; rotation of the sleeve 33 will increase or diminish the tension applied to the spring 29. When flying at low speeds or in warm air the vanes 22 and 23 may be fully separated thus permitting unobstructed flow of air through the tubes 12 and securing a maximum cooling effect. Under other conditions it may be advisable to draw the free edges of the vanes more or less closely together since it is possible that water condensed in the upper portion of the device would be frozen in the lower portion thereof.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention, and that various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes, Without the payment of any royalty thereon.

I claim:

1. A heat exchanger comprising a header for each end, spaced transversely curved side members, a tube plate between the side members adjacent each longitudinal edge, a plurality of banks of tubes secured to and opening through the tube plates, the tubes in adjacent rows being transversely staggered, baffle plate sections fixed to the side members and so disposed that the sections on the two sides coact to form substantially continuous bafiles from side to side, alternate bafiies having cut away portions at their opposite ends, longitudinally extended vanes having one edge pivoted to each side plate, links pivotally connected to each vane and extending toward each other in pairs, the adjacent ends of the links of each pair having a common connection, means acting upon said common connection to swing the links on their pivots whereby the free edges of the vanes are drawn together, resilient means to move the links in opposite directions to separate said free edges, means to conduct a condensible fluid into one header and means connecting to the other header to carry away condensate.

2. A heat exchanger comprising a header for each end, spaced side members, a tube plate between said side members adjacent each longitudinal edge, a plurality of banks of tubes secured to and opening through said tube plates, bafile plate sections fixed to the side members and so disposed that the sections on the two sides coact to form substantially continuous baffles from side to side, alternate bafiies having cut away portions at their opposite ends, longitudinally extended vanes having one edge pivoted to each side member, links pivotally connected to each vane and extending toward each other in pairs, the adjacent ends of the links of each pair having a common connection, means acting upon said common connection to swing the links on their pivots whereby the free edges of said vanes are drawn together, resilient means to move the links in the opposite direction to separate said free edges, means to conduct a condensible fiuid into one header and means connected to the other header to carry away condensate.

3. A heat exchanger comprising a header for each end, spaced side members, a tube plate between said side members adjacent each longitudinal edge, a plurality of banks of tubes secured in openings in said tube plates, baffle plate sections fixed to said side members and so disposed that the sections on the two sides coact to form substantially continuous baffles from side to side, alternate baffles having cut away portions at their opposite ends, longitudinally extended vanes having one edge pivoted to each side member, one member of each of a plurality of toggles connected to each vane, means connected to said toggles to draw the free edges of the vanes together and means adapted automatically to separate said free edges when the last mentioned means is not acting.

4. A heat exchanger having a body, members extending from one edge of said body to the other to conduct a cooling substance, baffles disposed to define a tortuous path longitudinally of said body, a pair of vanes each having one edge pivotally connected to an edge of said body, a plurality of toggles between said vanes, each having a member connected to each vane, means operable to act upon said toggles to draw the free edges of said vanes together and means to separate automatically said free edges when the aforesaid means is not acting.

5. A heat exchanger having a body, members extending from one edge of said body to the other to conduct a cooling substance, baffles disposed to define a tortuous path longitudinally of said body, a pair of vanes each having one edge pivotally connected to an edge of said body, and means to move the free edges of said vanes toward and away from each other.

6. A heat exchanger having a body, members extending from one edge of said body to the other to conduct a cooling substance, bafiies disposed to define a tortuous path longitudinally of said body, and adjustable means that is in all positions spaced from the ends of said members and acting immediately upon fluid issuing from said members to control the flow of cooling agent through said members.

'7. A heat exchanger having a body with spaced apart side members, tubes extending from one edge of said body to the other to conduct a cooling substance, baffles disposed to define a tortuous path longitudinally of said body, and adjustable means at its rear edge movable to vary the effective free opening between the sides of said body at said rear edge to control the flow of cooling agent through said tubes.

' MATT Q. CORBETT. 

